Black Book

In his first film in six years (and his first Dutch film in 23), director Paul Verhoeven has crafted a surprising and disturbing portrait of war-era Holland in BLACK BOOK. A World War II drama may not seem like the kind of film the director of BASIC INSTINCT and STARSHIP TROOPERS would be suited for, but Verhoeven’s trademark sense of heightened drama and vivid imagery find a suitable home in the film, even if it is a bit jarring at first.

The film tells the story of Rachel Stein (Carice van Houten), a young Jewish woman who has successfully evaded capture by hiding with various allies. When her hiding place is destroyed in a freak accident, she is forced to flee to Belgium with the help of the family lawyer. She is even reunited with her family in the process. But her escape vessel is caught by a German gunboat, and she barely survives the massacre that follows. Now alone, she joins the Dutch resistance movement, transforming herself into the idealized image of the Aryan race in order to infiltrate the Nazi system.

This leads her into the arms of Nazi officer Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch), whom she must seduce in an attempt to free jailed resistance fighters. The film gets more complicated from this point, throwing several twists at the viewer; some of which are expected, others which are infuriating and horrifying in manner. Muntze is far from the typical personification of a Nazi officer; it is his characterization that is most likely the most complex aspect of the film, accomplishing the improbable: creating a sympathetic member of the Nazi party.

This character alone demonstrates that the characters cannot be easily determined as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ There is the usual representation of the Nazi as pure evil (played here by Waldemar Kobus), but the members of the resistance are far from saintly freedom fighters. As the film goes on, the characters’ true motives are revealed, and nearly all previous perceptions of them are challenged.

This is especially true of Rachel (alias Ellis), mostly due to van Houten’s brave and mesmerizing performance. As she begins to develop feelings for Muntze, a man who has ordered the deaths of hundreds, her own motives become questionable, and the levels of sacrifice she is willing to accept are unsettling. But sympathy for her never disappears and van Houten imbues herself with a deeply layered sense of self-disgust, alternately accepting her feelings and bemoaning them, agonizing over whether she went too far. And as the world of the film moves into the post-war era, her sheer determination to survive elevates her portrayal into a truly mesmerizing performance.

Verhoeven mixes his usual trademark style with a sense of melodrama that hearkens back to film noirs of the 1940s, most notable through its bombastic musical score. The film is explicit, with several graphic depictions of sex (and since the film is directed by Verhoeven, lots of nudity) and episodes of extreme, almost cartoonish violence. It’s quite a different method for a WWII drama, melding techniques and values from yesteryear and today.

It also raises an issue that is undeniably unsettling and controversial: the humanization of certain Nazi characters. In some cases, Ellis’s enemies prove to be more trustworthy and honorable than those she has aligned herself with. While the romantic relationship between Ellis and Muntz is vague and forced, it raises many intriguing questions. And once the war is over, a shocking portrayal of the survivors of both sides begins. Those who were the victims become as vile and cruel as the people who oppressed them. Verhoeven shines an unforgiving light on those who feel revenge is the only solution; those who are so obsessed with vindication that they unknowingly stoop to their enemies’ level.

The film ends on an ambiguous note, indicating that wars never end, they are just put on hold. BLACK BOOK is a difficult film to watch; it presents several ideas and images that deviate from the perceived norm. But nonetheless, Verhoeven has crafted a thrilling and compelling portrait of people whose pain and suffering do not end because a war does.

***1/2